Mario Alford is a Slot Specialist WR for West Virginia. Mario's 2014 season ranks in the 100th percentile nationally by opponent-adjusted EPA per play across 112 plays — a elite rate for the WR.
The offense's primary passing-down weapon — routes, separation, and reliability on 3rd down define this role.
Players from 2014–2024 matched on EPA efficiency, play volume, and adjusted value tier — not just one metric.
| Player | Team | Yr | Plays | WEPA/play | Line val | Total EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zach Abey | Navy | 2016 | 70 | 0.370 | 0.8 | 25.9 |
| Keytaon Thompson | Mississippi State | 2017 | 70 | 0.460 | 1.2 | 32.2 |
| Eli Heidenreich | Navy | 2024 | 66 | 0.340 | 0.7 | 22.4 |
| Savion Williams | TCU | 2024 | 56 | 0.450 | 1.1 | 25.2 |
| Kawaan Baker | South Alabama | 2018 | 63 | 0.410 | 1.4 | 25.8 |
Comps are statistical — efficiency, volume, and value tier all factor in. Style and conference context differ.
| Wk | Opponent | Result | Opp SP+ | Rec | Rec Yds | Avg | Rec TD | Long | EPA/play |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | vsAlabama | L23-33 | 34.3 | 5 | 54 | 10.8 | 0 | 16 | 0.40 |
| 2 | vsTowson | W54-0 | — | 5 | 21 | 4.2 | 1 | 8 | 0.55 |
| 3 | @Maryland | W40-37 | 5.7 | 11 | 131 | 11.9 | 2 | 43 |
Usage = share of team plays (CFBD has no true snap counts).
Rec 3 · Rec Yds 57 · Avg 19.0 · Rec TD 1
| -0.04 |
| 4 | vsOklahoma | L33-45 | 19.2 | 7 | 101 | 14.4 | 1 | 30 | 0.40 |
| 6 | vsKansas | W33-14 | -9.8 | 4 | 80 | 20.0 | 0 | 39 | 0.85 |
| 7 | @Texas Tech | W37-34 | 4.9 | 2 | 24 | 12.0 | 0 | 21 | -0.42 |
| 8 | vsBaylor | W41-27 | 23.9 | 4 | 53 | 13.3 | 1 | 39 | 0.53 |
| 9 | @Oklahoma State | W34-10 | 8.6 | 7 | 136 | 19.4 | 1 | 79 | 0.97 |
| 10 | vsTCU | L30-31 | 23.3 | 3 | 79 | 26.3 | 1 | 46 | 0.72 |
| 11 | @Texas | L16-33 | 9.0 | 5 | 31 | 6.2 | 0 | 11 | -0.31 |
| 13 | vsKansas State | L20-26 | 16.3 | 4 | 92 | 23.0 | 1 | 53 | 0.92 |
| 14 | @Iowa State | W37-24 | -7.9 | 5 | 86 | 17.2 | 2 | 40 | 0.77 |
| 1 | vsTexas A&M | L37-45 | 20.2 | 3 | 57 | 19.0 | 1 | 45 | 0.25 |